Caring for a Child with a Full Leg Cast

My daughter was in a full leg cast when she was 19 months old. Luckily it was in Texas so she could wear little sun dresses. I did try a couple of times to cover her cast but it was not easy. I did wrap it in a garbage bag and put her in the sink. It was easier that way and she was still small. I did sponge baths every night but full bath was once a week. She also had a central line in her arm so she couldn't get that wet either.

I would try sweat pants or dresses. You could cut the side of the leg and that would allow the cast room.

Honestly, a 4 year old on crutches? Yeah, I see disaster in that. Honestly, I would keep her home until she was healed. However, if you are working full time and need daycare, you need to talk to the school. They may not allow her to attend on crutches. They might not want the liability of that. If not, you should qualify for FMLA.

One idea that seems to work is to purchase inexpensive sweat pants or light weight pull-on pants (try Goodwill or similar stores). Leave the healthy leg of the pants intact. Cut open the pants leg on the side where the cast is, on the outer part of the pants leg. Cut open as high up as the top of the cast. Then apply Velcro patches in a couple of places - you can sew them on, or get iron-on Velcro strips. You don't need too many, just one near the hip or top of the cast so that no underwear is visible, and maybe one near the knee and one at the calf or ankel to keep the pants leg from flopping around. When you help your daughter get dressed, she just slips her healthy leg into the pants, and you snap the Velcro patches or strips together on the casted leg.

As for a bath, I wouldn't risk it. Too many possibilities of slipping, trying to balance, getting the cast wet, etc. Since this will last over a month, use a hand held shower head to wash her hair (she can sit next to the tub, bend her head back a little, and you just wet her hair, lather it, rinse). Or take her to a hair salon once a week and have her hair shampooed by a stylist in those handy sinks they have. For daily cleansing, get baby wipes. You can also purchase large wipes intended for bed-bound patients, or for anyone unable to access a bath tub for whatever reason, at larger places like Walgreens or CVS, the kind of larger pharmacy that sells or rents wheelchairs, crutches and canes, etc, or at medical supply stores. Or go to Amazon and type in adult wipes in the search window, and you'll see many. They're larger than baby wipes, stronger, and intended for this exact purpose.

I'd also keep her out of school. Ask the teacher for some ideas on how to keep her involved (with some simple work to do at home, similar to what she'd be doing in school).

Most of all, don't stress too much about her missing school, or missing a bath. She's young - let her have this time to relax and heal. Healing takes a lot of calories and energy - she'll probably be tired, and most likely the cast will itch or be hot or otherwise uncomfortable. This is not the time to worry about too many cartoons, or playing on the iPad. Make sure she knows that when she's back in school, after the cast comes off, she'll be back to her usual routine and restrictions about watching tv, etc, but while she's healing, let her have a little fun. Get her some Play-Doh, or new colored pencils, or Legos or something to keep her rested but that also gives her something to do.

Just get sweats in a bigger size so they fit over cast. Don't cut. Bath. Not going to happen. Can't risk it. As far as school, I would keep her home. Too much of a responsibility for the teachers. Just find lots of things to entertain her. Good luck.

Ask the doctor or nurse - and Google it.
Sponge baths are probably the only way she's going to get clean for awhile.
Wash her hair in a sink like she's at a salon.
A bag won't keep it dry and the doctor will be pissed if he has to set it again.
(I did this when I was about 8 yrs old. I broke my wrist, put it in a bag to go swimming - cast turned to mush. Doctor was not happy at all.)
Roomy/loose shorts are probably the way to go.

Your doctor and/or orthopedist should have given you a leg cast cover or something like this:
http://www.drycorp.com/waterproof-cast-cover/

You can usually purchase them at a Walgreens or CVS - call your local one and ask if they carry them.

Your best bet is to have her wear a skirt. you can wear oversized sweat pants to keep the rubbing/scratching to a minimum. Do NOT cut her clothes unless you have the money to replace them. If you are going to do that? Go to Goodwill and purchase cheap clothes for you to destroy.

She's 4 years old. Unless you're paying for the school? I would keep her home. She's not in kindergarten or 1st grade. I would still get the crutches for her ability to move about.

Do the sponge baths until she can take a full bath. No need to get the cast wet and have to have it redone.

My son broke his foot playing football and he had a walking cast but it had to be done every week until it healed as he was "rough" on the cast. I made a slit in his pants and put zipper in to cover the cast.

If you don't sew, get larger sweat pants and slit the seam a bit to get the cast leg into the pant leg. Let her stay home from preschool. Her classmates could injure her further while she is in school. Hang in there, it will be all over soon enough.

the other S.

Loose sweat pants - boys are typically cut wider. I've seen kids wearing lightweight splash pants for school. Or you can cut pants up the side, and then attach, just sew, a few strips of velcro across the cut. I've seen that also. Easy for kids.

Here's a pic from a site that sells them, but you can do yourself
http://www.overthecast.com/

That's what I would probably do.

I had a full arm cast as a kid. I was able to get away with baths as I just kept my arm out, but a full leg cast would get wet. Sponge baths.

If you have the ability to keep her home, you should do so - at that age there is a risk of playtime, curious friends, etc causing further damage. She will not miss any major school curriculum. And forcing her to go to preschool in a full leg cast just seems rough. Focus on getting her healed completely.

Is your daughter not allowed to bear any weight on the leg? If not, and it sounds like she can't since they are getting crutches for her, I think she will need to miss school at least until she is able to bear weight again. Wishes for quick healing to your daughter!

When I was in a full leg immobilizer I just wore dresses. So if weather permits, dresses with shorts.

Let the pant leg cover the cast. No need to roll up or cut off part of the leg. Loose fitting sweats may be the easiest to wear.

I've heard that there is a plastic device made specifically to cover casts. You could ask at a medical supply store. She may have to shower. Putting a cast, even one covered in plsstic, into water for any length of time the cast is likely to get wet.

The orthopedic office will give you information about all of this.

I would do skirts with shorts underneath. As for school, talk to the school. They will have more ideas about how to deal with that.

It's no problem for a kid this age to miss school so a couple of weeks I think is normal. My nephew broke a leg around that age and my sister carried him a lot and I remember she'd put him in the grocery cart to shop.

You'll have to talk to the school about whether or not she can attend. The school that my kids attended required children to be able to use the bathroom alone. If the cast prevents your daughter from going to the bathroom by herself, they may not be able to accept her until the cast comes off. If she's able to go, maybe plan to send her but not every day if she's getting too tired or overwhelmed.

Not sure about the bath/shower, but I wish you the best of luck. I hope your daughter's leg heals well and quickly.

When I was 5, (I'm 48 now), I had a full leg cast. My mom cut the leg off of my pj bottoms and my pants. I was kept out of K-5 as everyone was scared I might get re-hurt... I almost failed K-5 from missing so much school, but they still ended up passing me... If your daughter is able to attend school and the school is willing to allow her to attend, I would encourage you to let her go.

She needs to go to school. Don't take her out, they should be able to adapt for her. Crutches will help her manage all that she needs to do. I'd ask if there is an aid that can help her in the classroom too. That way she will have a person there to help her with her lunch tray and toileting.

If she doesn't have a cast yet then request a fiberglass one. It can get wet but not saturated. So she can take a shower then let it dry or use a low heat setting on the blow dryer and help it. If they don't do fiberglass then you're stuck with plaster and they will fall apart if you get it wet.

I'd put shorts on her or dresses with shorts underneath. You're in LA so it can't be completely cold there, she'd sweat like crazy in sweat pants.